If You've Been Laid Off

"We're all out of work; we just haven't received the pink slip yet," says Gary. That's a healthy attitude to have in today's volatile marketplace. William Bridges, author of JobShift, points out that although we grew up believing in long-term jobs, to thrive in the new workplace we must give up the idea of having a job.

"Today's worker will do a job, not have a job," says Bridges. That's a tough, but true, message for most Americans who have assumed that their jobs were secure. Our interviews with people who have lost their jobs show that 80 percent of people who are laid off are surprised—and therefore unprepared. With an "I'm here forever" mindset, no wonder they haven't created a protective network.